Functionality of the Cathode-Electrolyte Interlayer in Protonic Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Efficient power generation with protonic solid oxide fuel cells (H-SOFCs) remains challenging because the mismatch between the primary ion carriers of the electrolyte and the cathode limits the effective cathode reaction area to the gas-electrolyte-cathode triple-phase boundary (TPB), resulting in large cathodic overpotentials at low operating temperatures. Herein, we report the role of functional layers between an electrolyte and a cathode in reducing the cathodic reaction resistance at the TPB. Thin-film fuel cells with BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.1Yb0.1O3-delta (BZCYYb1711) electrolytes were fabricated using a dense La0.5Sr0.5Co0O3-delta (LSC) nanofilm (approximately 100 nm) as a cathode functional layer (CFL) with the typical oxide ion/electron mixed conductor La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-delta (LSCF), LSC, and the less-active Sb0.1Sn0.9O2 (ATO). The peak power densities of the cells increased by >100% when using a CFL, and cells having an LSC cathode and CFL achieved power densities of 500 mW cm(-2) at 500 degrees C. The distribution of relaxation times in the impedance spectra revealed the CFL's effect on the ohmic and polarization resistances. Crucially, cells without a CFL had large ohmic resistances because the proton-accessible electrode areas were confined to the gas-cathode-electrolyte TPB. However, the resistance decreased with the CFL because coupled partial proton conductivity and electrocatalytic activity of the LSC nanofilms increased the proton-accessible electrode area. The cells without a CFL showed a large polarization resistance because of the sluggish diffusion of O adatoms over the cathode resulting from the increased TPB length. This resistance decreased by >70% with an LSC CFL because the cells did not require long-range O diffusion because of the significantly extended proton-accessible reaction area near the gas-CFL-cathode TPB. Thus, using interfacial layers is an alternative way to design new cathode materials having low cathodic polarization for H-SOFCs.